A wireless telephone can receive telephone calls in any location within a zone covered by a compatible wireless telephone service. In this way, a user can stay in communication with others without the need to remain tied to a conventional telephone at a particular location. If the user carries his or her wireless telephone to a location having significant ambient noise, however, he or she may be unable to hear is the telephone ring due to that ambient noise, causing an incoming call to be missed. Some wireless telephones allow the user to select a ringing sound that starts at a low volume and escalates to a higher volume if the user does not answer within a fixed time, regardless of the characteristics of the ambient noise environment. However, a louder ringer still may not be easily heard in certain noise environments. Further, this solution may be problematic if the wireless telephone is used in a quiet location and the user is unable to immediately answer an incoming call, as the escalating ringing sound may cause consternation to others.